Arraymusic

Array Ensemble

Arraymusic’s mission is to ignite and sustain a passion for contemporary Canadian musical art within an international, interdisciplinary context. Three inter-related programs define what Array does, why we do it and how we realize our artistic, organizational, and community-based goals:

1) Array’s Contemporary Music Program produces, presents and supports work on the cutting edges of current musical/sound art practice;

2) Array’s Creative Music Hub utilizes the Array Space to foster a thriving contemporary music and art scene; and

3) Array For All engages diverse audiences through innovative and inclusive programs.

Arraymusic believes that experiencing art can give rise to real change and that if one engages art fully, subtle but profound positive transformations can take place that by extension can impact communities and enhance our quality of life. Arraymusic is devoted to co-creating and presenting speculative new music—music that creates more questions than answers (for both the musicians involved and for listeners).

Creative Hub

We believe that through sharing music involved in exploration which finds wonder in the discovery of the unexpected, the imagination is stimulated, questions are asked, alternative ways of thinking are considered, and a sharing of ideas takes place. We are devoted to presenting music that draws listeners in, and encourages them to embrace musical experiences as experimental (both words derived from the Latin root expiri—‘to try’) and know that they are active, co-creative participants in the experience. Music focused on this kind of productive interaction is not confined to any style, methodology or genre. Arraymusic embraces and nurtures work that is radically in-between.

Progressively, Arraymusic situates its creative activities in a cultural context that goes beyond traditional definitions of contemporary classical music. One critical aspect of this broadening of context is the ongoing development of the Array Space as a creative hub. We see our creative endeavours as being very much in conversation with the pursuits of everyone who uses the Space, our resident organizations, key artistic partners and and those many who rent our Space for all manner of events (not only musical).

Community Gamelan

We also see our activities as part of a global conversation, which has driven us to be at the forefront of web-based initiatives, live-streaming most of our events, and making audio-visual records of our and our partners’ work available online through ArrayTV. It is in the context of these extremely diverse sets of cultural enterprises that Array works to bring its own artistic vision to fruition.

Our Team

Artistic Director – Martin Arnold

Martin holds a PhD in music composition from the University of Victoria, teaches part-time in Cultural Studies at Trent University, and is an active member of Toronto’s improvisation and experimental jazz/roots/rock communities performing on live electronics, banjo, melodica, and electric guitar. His music is performed and recorded across Canada and internationally.

General Manager – Sandra Bell

Herself an artist, Sandra merges strong business acumen with extensive business experience, and is a passionate champion for the contemporary music arts. She brings 15+ years’ experience in music management with a career spanning the creative fields of orchestral (Esprit Orchestra) and popular musics (Jeff Healey), journalism (Globe&Mail, Toronto Star), magazine editing, high technology writing (Hubley & Associates), film/television (Alliance Atlantic/Showcase), advertising (Chiat Day), corporate administration (American Barrick).

House & Production Manager – Kelley Mitchell

Kelley completed her Undergraduate Degree in Musical Applications of Technology at McGill University in Montreal. Since moving to Toronto she earned an additional diploma in Sound Engineering from Recording Arts Canada. In 2016, Kelley was awarded a one year Metcalf Internship Grant to study advanced recording techniques with Rick Sacks at Arraymusic where she helped create ArrayTV. Subsequently she has engaged in projects at the Banff Centre and the Emerging Artist Program at Canadian Stage. Kelley is delighted to rejoin the Array family to continue pursuing her interests in the technical and production side of the music industry.